Happening this Thursday: GOP presidential candidates clash at debate, barely dent frontrunner Donald Trump… Trump, who skipped the debate, rallied with supporters just miles away from the event… President Biden, in Illinois, speaks about the autoworker agreement at 1:45 pm ET… And day after debate, Tim Scott stumps in Iowa, while Chris Christie hits New Hampshire.
But FIRST… For the final question in Wednesday’s GOP presidential debate, NBC’s Kristen Welker asked the candidates to respond to their party’s losses on abortion — like on the Ohio ballot measure that passed this week enshrining abortion rights in that red state.
Here were their answers:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: “We’re better off when we can promote a culture of life. At the same time, I understand that some of these states are doing it a little bit different. Texas is not going to do it the same as New Hampshire. Iowa is not necessarily going to do the same as Virginia. So you got to work from the bottom up. You got to do a better job on these referenda. I think of all the stuff that’s happened to the pro-life cause, they have been caught flat footed on these referenda.”
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley: “As much as I’m pro-life, I don’t judge anyone for being pro-choice, and I don’t want them to judge me for being pro-life. So when we’re looking at this, there are some states that are going more on the pro-life side. I welcome that. There are some states that are going more on the pro-choice side. I wish that wasn’t the case, but the people decided. When it comes to the federal law, which is what’s being debated here. Be honest, it’s going to take 60 Senate votes, a majority in the House and a president to sign it... So let’s find consensus. Let’s agree on what how we can ban late term abortions. Let’s make sure we encourage adoptions and good quality adoptions.”
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.: “Well, I’m 100% pro-life. I have a 100% pro-life voting record. I would certainly, as president of the United States, have a 15-week national limit. I would not allow states like California, Illinois or New York to have abortion up until the date of birth… We need a 15-week federal limit… I would challenge both Nikki and Ron to join me at a 15-week limit. It is in our nation’s best interest.”
Vivek Ramaswamy: “It was my home state of Ohio. I’m upset about this. Yesterday, that passed a constitutional amendment, that now effectively codifies a right to abortion all the way up to the time of birth without parental consent. Why? It’s back to that Republican culture of losing. The Republicans did not have an alternative amendment or vision on the table.”
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: “This is an issue that should be decided in each state. And I trust the people of this country, state by state, to make the call for themselves. Now it’s going to lead to a lot of divergence. In Oklahoma, you can’t get an abortion unless the life of the mother is at risk. In my home state of New Jersey, it goes up to nine months you’re getting an abortion. I find that morally reprehensible, but that is what the people of our state have voted for.”
Headline of the day
The number of the day is … 18
That’s how many times former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley attacked other candidates and people on the debate stage last night, per an NBC News analysis. It was the highest number of attacks launched by any one candidate on the stage.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tied for the second-highest number of attacks — 16. And, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie attacked other candidates and political figures 7 times, while South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott did so six times.
Haley and DeSantis tied for the most oft-attacked candidates on the stage, with 11 attacks against each of them. Still, President Joe Biden was the most oft-attacked political figure off the stage, with 21 barbs launched against him.
Eyes on 2024: Rivals attack (and also duck) Trump
At Wednesday night’s debate, the candidates running against Donald Trump were asked to explain why they would serve as a better president than the former one.
“Donald Trump’s a lot different guy than he was in 2016. He owes it to you to be on this stage and explain why he should get another chance,” DeSantis said.
Haley, who is a frontrunner alongside DeSantis, said of Trump, “I don’t think he’s the right president now.”
Still, all five candidates on the stage refrained from attacking him at other points in the debate, instead opting to trade barbs against one another, NBC’s Jonathan Allen wrote after the debate.
And, as NBC’s Matt Dixon reported from across town in Hialeah, Florida, where Trump rallied with supporters to counter-program the debate, the former president ignored Tuesday night’s election losses from the party and celebrated his position as the frontrunner in the GOP primary.
ICYMI: What ELSE is happening in the world
Eight days before a government shutdown, Republicans in Congress still don’t have a plan to fund the government beyond Nov. 17, NBC News’ Sahil Kapur reports.
House Republicans on Wednesday subpoenaed Hunter and James Biden, the president’s son and brother.
Ivanka Trump, former president Donald Trump’s daughter, testified in a civil fraud trial Wednesdaythat she wasn’t involved and didn’t know much about her father’s financial statements.
A site in Maryland has been selected to host the future new headquarters of the FBI, the Washington Post reports.
